Right Brain (16%) The right hemisphere is the visual, figurative, artistic, and intuitive side of the brain.Left Brain (88%) The left hemisphere is the logical, articulate, assertive, and practical side of the brain

Tyler’s latest, and a return to form after the slightly disappointing An Amateur Marriage.

Two Korean babies arrive at Baltimore airport on the same flight, adopted by two very different familes. The families become close and intermingle, highlighting their similarities and differences.

The Donaldsons are classic Tyler, raw-boned and misguidedly PC and liberal; the Iranian Yazdans are a new departure, I believe, and work really well – Tyler has obviously researched them very deeply and I couldn’t really see a difference between her portrayals and those of writers of the same ethnic background as their protagonists.

I galloped through this as I couldn’t stop reading it but simultaneously didn’t want it to end. Wonderful. And NOT going on BookCrossing (but yes, Ali, you can borrow it!)

A haunting and moving little book about the author’s father’s death, and the discoveries he makes about the woman who loved him for 47 years. The tension between his mother and Doris is rediscovered as he revisits occasions from years past and talks to both of them now. Unusual and affecting.

Two books I was really looking forward to reading about the author’s walk round the South West coast and rowing trip up the Thames, with dog Boogie. While these were enjoyable, I found they were a bit silly, especialy the second book, which thrived on a rather annoying repetition of patterns which really could not have happened. He’s a good writer and describes things well, and of course there’s a place for humour in travel books – but this was a bit disappointing.

I’m going to register this on BookCrossing as I don’t think I’ll be re-reading it. It’s a shame when I buy books then have to BookCross them, but then thank goodness I have a route for passing them on rather than them just clogging up my bookshelves!

A rather sweet biography of the Indian writer and social and political commentator, written by his son. The aim of this series is to tell peoples’ stories through documents official and unofficial, so there are lots of newspaper clippings, cartoons and envelopes reproduced through the book.

An excellent book charting the story of the WW2 overseas evacuations (as novelised in “The Guests of War” by Kit Pearson). A lot of research has obviously gone into the book, which details, chapter by chapter, the beginning and carrying out of various schemes and private arrangements, and it is brought to life by the many quotations from children, parents, escorts and host families. Brings it all alive – wonderful.